Jossestown Farm's Plying Finds New Home at Goffs

A sea of masked faces and a palpable sense of expectation greeted Plying  as she entered the bustling Goffs ring at around 5.15 p.m. on day one of the November Breeding Stock Sale on Nov. 19.

But after the dam of three-time group 1 winnerAlcohol Free  had been knocked down to Michael Donohoe of BBA Ireland at €825,000 (US$931,243), there were decidedly mixed emotions for the mare's previous owners.

"It's a funny one," said Martin Cooney of Jossestown Farm, who sourced Plying for just €21,000 ($23,909) three years ago. "It's a bittersweet thing. Obviously you're delighted she made plenty of money, but at the same time you don't really want to sell her. The first thing I was thinking when I was watching the bidding was where will she end up.

"Everyone's coming and saying, 'Jesus! Well done!' But you're just sort of left thinking she's gone now. But that's just the way it is. They'd be part of the family at home so you become very attached to them. It's not as if we've 50 mares."

Despite being only an 11-year-old, Plying has already compiled a substantial sales history. She was first signed for by Mark Johnston at $200,000 at Fasig-Tipton in 2011 before she went on to win three races in France for Alex Pantall and Sheikh Mohammed.

She was sold by Darley at the end of her 3-year-old season and made just €12,000 ($16,446) to the bid of BBA Ireland. She spent the next five years as a member of the Churchtown House Stud broodmare band, from where she bred her three winners, Alexander James, Johan Zoffani, and Alcohol Free.

Plying came back on the market for the third time in November 2018, when the Jossestown team of Cooney and partner Elaine Shaw secured the daughter of Hard Spun   while she was carrying her fifth foal, the Starspangledbanner filly Hooked On You.

The page has improved at a rate of knots since Plying was purchased by the Fethard-based outfit, as her second foal, Alexander James, subsequently broke his maiden by 13 lengths before scoring at listed level, while Alcohol Free, who changed hands for €40,000 ($45,820) just two days before her dam sold, won the 2020 Juddmonte Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) at 2 and followed that up with victories in the Coronation (G1) and Qatar Sussex Stakes (G1).

"She owes us absolutely nothing and she never did," continued Cooney. "From the moment we got her it's only been a good story, she's been 100% the whole way. We knew from an early stage that she was special. I know these mares don't come around very often."

When asked what he planned to do with the dividend he received from the sale of Plying, Cooney said: "I'll probably try to find another one like her. I've just put up a new barn and hopefully this will help bring the place to the next level. We've only a couple of our own mares but we're starting to board a few now so I'll start taking in more of those. If I can I'll try to consign a few more as I like that gig. I'll keep things simple though, I'm not going to get carried away."

While the Jossestown team were left to reflect on a rollercoaster of emotions having seen their pride and joy change hands, there was an unmistakable excitement emanating from the successful purchaser, who had to see off the attentions of Adrian Nicoll, who stood with Simon Marsh.

"She's been bought for Yulong Investments," said Donohoe. "We thought it was a fantastic opportunity, to be able to buy the dam of what we think is a champion filly. Alcohol Free is such a tough, honest, top-class filly. She's staying in training next year, I believe, so there's more to look forward to with her.

"It's not just a flash in the pan either as the mare has produced another stakes winner and she has a very nice covering by a stallion that's very close to Mr. Zhang's heart in Lope de Vega. We believe she's carrying a filly so hopefully she'll be another to join the broodmare band in time. We thought she made very good sense. When you see the bid board converted to British pounds, we thought she represented very good value."

Donohoe was decked out in a jacket bearing the name of Lucky Vega, who carried Yuesheng Zhang's colors to victory in the Keeneland Phoenix Stakes (G1) and is set to begin his northern hemisphere stallion career at the Irish National Stud next year.

"A plan is undecided for next year but it's possible she could go to Lucky Vega," said Donohoe. "Danzig is up there in the pedigree and Lucky Vega is a lovely, big horse; she's a medium-sized mare so he'd suit any of those mares Mr. Zhang is buying. He's one of those stallions who's easy to mate."

The power of the pedigree update was in evidence later in the session when Feminism was offered by The Castlebridge Consignment. The 4-year-old daughter of Shamardal  was bought by Barry Lynch for just 34,000 guineas ($49,265) at the Tattersalls July Sale only four months ago, when she was listed as a sibling to one winner.

The unraced 2-year-old Dubawi  colt listed on her Tattersalls catalog page subsequently revealed himself to be Modern Games , whose four victories culminated with a dominant display in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf (G1T). Those exploits helped to convince Jill Lamb to part with €370,000 ($417,648) for the 4-year-old Feminism.

"Delighted to get her," said Lamb. "She's a lovely physical with a lot of quality. It's a fabulous family; you have Modern Games for next year, although he's already done it, and Modern News looks like he might get black type as well. She's for Newsells Park Stud and it's very exciting to get her."

Feminism's brother Modern News is now rated 111 having gone unbeaten during a three-race 3-year-old campaign, while the rest of the pedigree has no shortage of black type. Her dam, Modern Ideals, is a New Approach sibling to three stakes performers, most notably Qatar Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere-Grand Criterium (G1) winner Ultra.

McCormack Eyes American Opportunities

One of Eytarna's daughters also changed hands for big money later in the session when John McCormack went to €350,000 ($395,073) for the 3-year-old Eylara. The daughter of Gleneagles  won one of her six outings for Dermot Weld, and was last seen running second to Horoscope at Killarney in mid-July.

"She has been bought to go to America and she could race on," said McCormack. "Pat Downes, who I have known for a long time, was very complimentary about her and said there was still racing in her. She's a daughter of Gleneagles, who's such a beautifully bred horse there is no reason why he can't be a broodmare sire, and she has a fantastic pedigree. It's definitely all there on the dam's side, who made €360,000 ($406,360) earlier today.

"If there's some sort of a chance that she can race on, there are a lot of opportunities in America for her if she can keep it together, but we won't be greedy.

"I stretched a bit more than I wanted but that's the way the day has been. If you want something then you have to be prepared to go between 30% and 40% more than where your comfort zone is because that is the market. It was that way in America, it's the same here this week, and it will be the same in the following weeks."

Buoyed by sizeable drafts from major owner/breeders, notably Shadwell, the Aga Khan, and Godolphin, day one of the November Breeding Stock Sale produced some sensational year-on-year increases.

Turnover was up by 154% to €13,913,500 ($15,705,280), while the average rose by 123% to €70,627 ($79,722) and the median was up 114% to €30,000 ($33,863), having been €14,000 ($16,808) at last year's one-day renewal.

The clearance rate was a very solid 86%, as 197 of 228 offered lots found a buyer.

The Goffs November Breeding Stock Sale continues on Saturday at 10 a.m.